In-Flight Catering Services Market Overview, 2025-30

In-flight catering services worldwide refer to the all-encompassing food and beverage solutions offered to travelers on commercial and private flights. These services are a vital aspect of the airline industry's strategy for enhancing the passenger experience, differing significantly based on flight class, duration, and airline type. Worldwide, in-flight catering represents a dynamic sector that meets the dietary, cultural, and nutritional needs of a varied flying demographic. It encompasses full-course meals, light snacks, special dietary meals (such as vegetarian, vegan, halal, and kosher), and drinks, including both non-alcoholic and alcoholic selections.

With global air travel rebounding after the pandemic and an increase in long-haul flights, airlines are enhancing their onboard offerings to boost satisfaction and brand loyalty. The elements of global in-flight catering services include several linked functions: meal planning, food preparation, packaging, logistics, and onboard service. Airlines either oversee these operations internally or partner with specialized third-party catering companies. The process initiates with tailored menu development based on seasonal ingredients, passenger demographics, and route characteristics.

Meals are subsequently prepared in clean, temperature-controlled facilities, typically situated near key airports, and delivered using refrigerated transport to ensure freshness and safety. Furthermore, packaging is essential in preserving food quality while complying with sustainability standards and waste reduction objectives, which are increasingly prioritized in international aviation.

Globally, there is a significant focus on innovation and digital transformation in this field, with AI and data analytics facilitating improved forecasting of meal preferences, portion control, and inventory management. Sustainability is also gaining prominence as airlines implement biodegradable packaging and procure ingredients locally whenever possible. In-flight catering has evolved beyond a mere basic service it now serves as a representation of an airline’s brand identity and competitive advantage

According to the research report, "Global In-Flight Catering Services Market Overview, 2030,", the Global In-Flight Catering Services market was valued at more than USD 20.78 Billion in 2024, with the CAGR of 7.51% from 2025-2030. The worldwide market for in-flight catering services is marked by its intricate, well-coordinated operations and a shifting focus towards passengers. A prominent characteristic of this market is its capability to customize offerings based on local preferences, trip lengths, and airline service categories - from budget to premium full-service airlines.

The increasing number of health-conscious travelers has stimulated the demand for nutritionally balanced meals, plant-based choices, and options suited for allergies, encouraging catering providers to innovate and broaden their menus accordingly. Furthermore, the incorporation of technology throughout the supply chain like automated meal tracking systems, AI-based demand forecasting, and digital ordering platforms has improved accuracy, lowered food waste, and streamlined logistics, rendering the entire system more efficient and responsive. From a wider viewpoint, the market has experienced a significant transition towards sustainability and ethical sourcing.

Airlines and catering services are progressively embracing eco-friendly methods, such as recyclable meal trays, compostable utensils, and the reduction of single-use plastics on board. These adjustments not only attract environmentally conscious travelers but also comply with global regulatory standards and airline sustainability objectives, fostering a favorable view of the industry. Collaborations between airlines and celebrity chefs or high-end food brands have introduced a luxurious element to in-flight dining, enhancing the brand experience and setting carriers apart in a competitive marketplace.

The beneficial effects of these advancements are varied. For travelers, improved meal quality and personalization lead to a more pleasurable flying experience, frequently boosting satisfaction ratings. For airlines, effectively managed catering serves as an added-value service that can strengthen brand loyalty, especially on long-haul and international flights.

Market Drivers

• Increasing Demand for Premium and Personalized Services: As competition intensifies within the aviation sector, airlines are prioritizing enhancements to passenger experiences, especially within premium classes. This focus has spurred a heightened demand for gourmet meals and customized catering choices that address specific dietary requirements and preferences. The inclusion of a variety of meal choices, such as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, serves as a key driver by promoting inclusivity for travelers from diverse cultural backgrounds. With consumers becoming more selective, airlines are channeling resources into in-flight catering to elevate their brand image and cultivate customer loyalty.
• Advancements in Technology and Automation: Technological innovations have transformed in-flight catering, ranging from AI-driven demand forecasting to sophisticated inventory management systems. Automation and digitization of food preparation, delivery, and meal selection processes have enhanced operational efficacy, minimized waste, and ensured higher accuracy in meal distribution. Utilizing technology allows airlines to more accurately anticipate meal demand, fostering cost efficiencies and improved service quality. Furthermore, digital systems for meal ordering, particularly in premium classes, have fueled the growing desire for personalized passenger experiences.

Market Challenges

• Sustainability and Environmental Concerns: The in-flight catering sector is under increasing scrutiny to lessen its ecological impact. Challenges such as rampant food waste, plastic packaging issues, and the carbon footprint associated with meal transportation to aircraft present significant obstacles. Numerous airlines and catering firms are now working to implement sustainable practices, including biodegradable packaging, sourcing ingredients locally, and minimizing food waste. Nonetheless, balancing sustainability with meal quality and quantity remains a complex endeavor, necessitating investment in infrastructure and innovative solutions.
• Supply Chain Disruptions and Global Uncertainties: The global catering supply chain is frequently susceptible to disruptions caused by external influences like economic recessions, geopolitical strife, and ingredient shortages, particularly in the wake of occurrences like the COVID-19 pandemic. Catering providers are compelled to contend with challenges related to ingredient procurement, delays in transportation, and volatile food pricing, all of which affect their ability to deliver consistent meal quality and quantity. The intricate nature of supply chain management requires catering services to be exceptionally adaptable and resilient, demanding ongoing modifications to guarantee uninterrupted service and effective cost management.

Market Trends

• Health-Conscious and Plant-Based Offerings: As consumers increasingly prioritize health, the interest in nutritious and plant-based meal choices has seen a significant spike. The movement towards vegan, vegetarian, and other plant-based lifestyles is a key trend shaping in-flight catering. Airlines are progressively aligning with this trend by providing a broader range of healthier meal options, including organic dishes, low-calorie meals, and vegan snacks. This trend signifies a rise in awareness regarding personal health, and airlines are making advancements to integrate healthier menu items to meet these shifting preferences.
• Emphasize Technology-Driven Personalization: Personalization has emerged as a key trend in the in-flight catering services sector. Airlines are utilizing cutting-edge technology to enable passengers to tailor their meals prior to the flight, including via mobile applications or in-flight entertainment platforms. This degree of personalization improves the passenger experience by providing them with greater control over their meal selections. Moreover, data analytics is being employed to gain insights into passenger preferences, which assists airlines in delivering customized dining experiences and enhancing satisfaction.

The "Others" category, which encompasses snacks, fruits, salads, and dairy products, is the fastest-growing segment in the worldwide in-flight catering services market due to the rising demand for lighter, easier, and healthier meal choices among travelers.

As passengers become increasingly health-aware, there is a significant transition away from traditional heavy meals towards snack-style and nutrient-dense options, such as fresh fruits, dairy-based products, and low-calorie snacks. This trend is especially evident on short-haul flights, where travelers tend to favor quick, easy-to-eat choices instead of more complex meals.

Moreover, these lighter meal alternatives are more adaptable, accommodating various dietary preferences and restrictions, including gluten-free, vegan, and low-fat diets, which attracts a wide range of passengers. Airlines are progressively recognizing the necessity to diversify their food selections to satisfy the changing tastes and needs of contemporary travelers.

The rising inclination toward healthier and fresher options has sparked innovations in meal planning, including the incorporation of fresh fruits, salads, and dairy products, which are viewed as both nutritious and rejuvenating. Furthermore, these items are simple to package and serve, resulting in cost efficiency in production and distribution. The popularity of snack-style meals coincides with global trends in convenience food, where passengers aim to enhance comfort and flexibility during their flying experience.

The transition toward lighter, healthier food options also illustrates the broader worldwide focus on wellness and sustainability. The inclusion of fresh, locally sourced ingredients in these meals lessens the environmental footprint and attracts travelers seeking more ethical food choices. With the increasing preference for snacks and light meals, this segment is projected to keep growing swiftly in the global in-flight catering services market.

The "Low-Cost Carriers" (LCC) sector is the quickest expanding in the global in-flight catering services market due to the rising preference for economical travel choices, prompting airlines to provide budget-friendly, yet effective catering solutions.

LCCs are recognized for their no-frills strategy toward air travel, concentrating on minimizing operational expenses while maximizing revenue. Consequently, numerous low-cost airlines have embraced innovative catering models that emphasize efficiency and cost savings. Rather than delivering comprehensive meal services, LCCs frequently offer pre-packaged meals, snacks, and drinks for purchase, which reduces the requirement for extensive catering operations and aids in lowering costs. This strategy attracts the increasing number of budget-minded travelers who look for lower ticket prices and are open to buying amenities, like food, as optional extras. With the growing demand for short-haul flights, where passengers usually are not on board long enough to need full meals, LCCs have taken advantage of providing light snacks, sandwiches, and drink selections that fulfill the needs of travelers without the high costs linked to full-service catering. The growth of LCCs in both domestic and international markets, especially in emerging markets, has also been a crucial factor in boosting the demand for these simplified catering offerings. LCCs are progressively emphasizing the provision of varied food selections, including healthier and more tailored meal options, to meet passengers’ changing desires. This adaptability in meal selections, in combination with economical operations, has contributed to the swift expansion of the LCC sector within the global in-flight catering services market. The increasing dependence on outsourced catering suppliers and the rising use of technology for meal pre-ordering and inventory control further improve the operational efficiency of these carriers. As LCCs continue to grow their market presence, the need for their streamlined catering services is projected to increase, solidifying their status as the fastest-growing segment in the industry.

Outsourced providers are at the forefront and expanding the quickest in the worldwide in-flight catering services sector owing to their capacity to deliver specialized, cost-effective services that enable airlines to concentrate on their primary operations while reaping the benefits of high-quality meal production.

Outsourcing catering permits airlines to sidestep the intricacies and high expenses linked to managing in-house kitchens, labor oversight, and sourcing of ingredients. By depending on third-party catering providers, airlines can lower operational expenses, simplify logistics, and tap into specialized skills in food preparation and distribution, which boosts the quality and efficiency of in-flight services. Outsourcing further grants airlines increased flexibility in their offerings, modifying menus based on passenger preferences, seasonal requirements, or dietary needs.

Catering providers, for their part, can take advantage of economies of scale, utilizing their established infrastructure and supplier networks to develop more cost-effective, standardized meal options that cater to the varied needs of international travelers. This not only guarantees that airlines can align their in-flight services with passenger expectations but also sustain competitive pricing, a vital element in an increasingly price-conscious market. Moreover, the growing trend of digitalization within the airline industry has bolstered the rise of outsourced providers. Digital platforms facilitate enhanced coordination between airlines and catering companies, rendering meal selection, tracking, and inventory supervision more effective.

This technological integration enables outsourced providers to sustain consistent service levels, elevate meal quality, and improve customer satisfaction. As global travel continues its recovery and expansion, airlines are progressively opting for outsourced catering services to satisfy the demand for diverse, high-quality, and cost-effective food options. The capacity of outsourced providers to scale operations and swiftly respond to changing demands has established them as the favored option for numerous airlines, aiding their dominance and swift growth in the global in-flight catering services market.

Economy class is at the forefront and expanding the most rapidly in the global in-flight catering services market due to its extensive passenger demographic, which accounts for the majority of travelers on commercial flights, especially on short-haul and long-haul routes.

Airlines acknowledge that the economy class sector produces the greatest number of passengers, hence it is a central focus for catering services. As the travel class that is most sensitive to costs, economy class travelers generally look for budget-friendly meal choices that are straightforward yet satisfying, thereby fueling the need for convenient, easy-to-serve meals that strike a balance between quality and price. The expansion of economy class catering is also shaped by airlines' initiatives to improve the passenger experience while maintaining low operational expenses. Since economy class passengers constitute the majority of a flight’s capacity, airlines give precedence to this segment by providing standardized meal options, which include light meals, snacks, sandwiches, and drinks. The focus is on delivering good value, which aids in sustaining customer satisfaction while also managing catering expenses. As budget-aware travelers are often more inclined to pay for extras such as snacks and beverages, airlines have the opportunity to boost ancillary revenue through these offerings. Moreover, the escalating competition within the airline sector has prompted carriers to innovate and provide a range of food options in economy class to draw in more passengers. Airlines are becoming increasingly aware of shifting passenger preferences, offering healthier, regional, and more customized meal selections in response to the demand for variety and improved nutritional value. The adoption of more efficient catering methods, such as meal pre-ordering and mobile app integrations, has further optimized service delivery, improving the dining experience in economy class. As the global airline sector rebounds and expands, economy class continues to lead in passenger numbers, securing its top position in the in-flight catering services market. The significant volume of passengers, along with a rising desire for affordable yet quality catering, establishes economy class as the largest and quickest-growing segment.

Asia Pacific is at the forefront of the global in-flight catering services market owing to its swiftly developing aviation industry, growing middle class, and rising demand for both domestic and international air travel.

The region's vibrant economic development has greatly enhanced air passenger traffic, establishing it as the largest and most rapidly expanding market for in-flight catering services. Airlines within Asia Pacific are placing greater emphasis on improving passenger experience, with in-flight catering playing a crucial role in this by providing a variety of diverse, culturally meaningful, and high-quality meal selections. The region’s extensive and varied culinary traditions stimulate the need for diverse food choices on flights, as travelers desire meals that represent local tastes, preferences, and dietary requirements.

This cultural variety motivates airlines to offer an extensive assortment of options, ranging from vegetarian dishes to traditional regional cuisines, enabling them to accommodate both domestic and international passengers. Moreover, the rising popularity of low-cost carriers, which serve a significant segment of air travelers in the region, has sparked innovations in cost-effective meal options that continue to draw large crowds of passengers. Furthermore, the presence of key aviation hubs such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, combined with the enhancement of airports and air connectivity, has supported the expansion of in-flight catering services.

These hubs serve as essential distribution centers for catering services, guaranteeing that airlines can effectively serve passengers throughout broad flight networks. Consequently, airlines are increasingly turning to outsourced specialists who excel in managing the intricacies of meal preparation, logistics, and delivery, ensuring that in-flight catering remains a vital element of the travel experience. The Asia Pacific market’s emphasis on service quality, regional culinary tastes, and operational effectiveness in catering has established the region as the worldwide leader in the in-flight catering services market, propelling its growth and supremacy in the industry.

• In 2019, dnata Grows Global Catering Services inaugurated a new cutting-edge catering facility in Canberra, Australia, with an investment of AUD$6. 5 million. The facility raised production capacity to over 60,000 in-flight meals monthly and supported the company’s growth in Australia after acquiring Qantas Airways’ catering operations.
• In 2023, SATS Finalizes Acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services finalized its acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) for €1. 3 billion. This strategic action broadened SATS’ global presence to 201 cargo and ground handling stations across 23 countries, strengthening its air cargo logistics and ground handling capabilities.
• In 2025, dnata Expands Catering Facility in Melbourne revealed a significant expansion of its catering facility at Melbourne Airport, with an investment of AUS$50 million. The expansion enlarged the facility’s area to over 16,000m², establishing it as the largest airline catering center in Victoria, capable of producing 25 million meals annually.

Considered in this report:

• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report:

• In Flight Catering Services Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Food Type:

• Meals
• Beverages
• Bakery & Confectionery
• Others (snacks, fruits, salads, dairy items)

By Flight Type:

• Full-Service Carriers
• Low-Cost Carriers

By Provider Type:

• Outsourced Providers
• In-house Providers

The approach of the report:

This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third-party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases.

After gathering the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience:

This report can be useful to industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to agriculture industry, government bodies and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.